Clamping device



Jan. 23, 1934. BRUNNER I 1,944,166

CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Dec. 14, 1932 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 23, 1934 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLAMPIN G DEVICE Elmer H. Brunner, East Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Brunner-State Studios, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 14, 1932 Serial No. 647,135

11 Claims. (Cl. 24255) This invention relates to a device for attacha dotted line showing of the jaws in open poment to the margins of strips of material and sition. v the like, whereby they may be handled, manipu- Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device in lated for treatment and suspended for drying, i v t p s having a Weight attach exposure or exhibition; more particularly, the thereto.

device is especially adapted for use in connection Fig. 4 is a front view of the device shown in with the developing of photographic films. s. 1 and 2.

One object of th invention is to provide a, Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the device on the device of this character of improved construcline of tion in which danger of chemicals or water lodg- 6 is a Side View Of the Weight- 65 ing in or upon portions of the device or between 7 iS an enlarged fragmentary p p v said device and the sheets or strips clamped View of the g pp J d 3 S a S60- and being retained thereby, is materially reduced tional V Of t e W ht on the line 88 of or substantially eliminated. 6.

Another object of the invention is to provide n h d eW A indicates & Sheet Strip a device of this character having spaced pairs materiel Suspended y a device, indicated as an of gripping arms so arranged and related that entirety at 1. Where the sheet or strip is thin the same are guided toward and from each other, tends Curl Where the Sheet Strip is 0f whereby the opposed contact elements are maine Chereeter requiring manipulation for any purtained in alinement and damage thereto is p Such as a photographic One d v ce 1 oided I is used for suspending the sheet or strip from a Another object of the invention i to onsupport, such as indicated at B and another destruct a device of this character of improved Vit preferably having its Weight pp d construction providing but two pairs of gripping by a body 2, is attached to the lower end of the members, thereby minimizing danger of weaksheet or strip. In practice, in developing photo- -3 ening or damaging the sheet or strip to which ph films the pp B is p d With a the device is attached. plurality of devices 1, as shown in Fig. 1 and each Another object of the invention is to provide n v l p m f rin or ing off the a device of this character having at one end light-proof end Strips) is attached at O e end to spaced pairs of gripping arms and at its other one d v c a d a W t Carry g device is atend spaced loops permitting the device to be tached to the other end of each undeveloped film.

readily supported or suspended in a vertical Th supp B i then manipulated manually r position. 7 by suitable conveying mechanism into the chem- Another object of the invention is to provide ical baths, fixing and wash S utions a d i to 35 a device of this character formed of two sec- 0 th oug a drying a p tions of resilient wire which are respectively bent In developing film strips the pairs of gripping and symmetrically arranged to permit free cirarms engage the end portions of the strips and culation of air through and between the sections gummed strips a which secure the light-proof and adjacent portions of the sheet or strip to end strips to the films.

40 which the device is attached and to permit the The device 1 comprises two sections 3 of reattachment of a weight without affecting the silient wire of equal length and each section is operation of the device. bent intermediate its ends to form a loop 4 and A further object of the invention is to provide spaced legs 5, 5a. The terminating end portions a device of this, character that is formed of of the legs are respectively bent laterally toward few parts and readily manufactured. the other leg, which lateral portion extends be Other objects of the invention will be apparent yo d a median plane disposed between the legs,

to those skilled in the art to which my invenas shown at 7, and the extended portions are tion relates from the following description taken then v y bent v d, as Shown a 8, e

in connection with the accompanying drawing, free ends of which normally engage each other,

wherein due to the resiliency of the wire sections. By

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showreversely bending and curving the end portions ing the preferred application of the devices of the legs 5, 5a, it will be seen that pressure embodying my invention. upon the legs, one toward the other, will cause a Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of separation of the gripping arms 6, 6a, (see dotted the device suspended from a bar D, and also lines in Fig. 2) and release of pressure will permit the arms to automatically grip the strip A. As the legs 5, 5a, are of substantially equal length and similarly bent at their terminating end portions, their free ends or gripping elements are normally disposed in the median plane between the legs.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the bent portions 7 are in different planes transversely of the median plane above referred to and the curved portions 8 are bent laterally to position their gripping elements in alignment. The bent portions are arranged to engage each other when moving relatively, so that in the operation of the arms 6, 6a, away from and toward each other, the gripping elements are guided and maintained in alinement. It will also be noted that the arms 6, 6, of the pairs of legs 5, 5, occupy the same relation to the arms 6a, 6a; that is, the former arms may be on the outside or the inside of the latter arms, the latter arrangement being shown. In either of these arrangements, both pairs of arms co-operate to prevent dis-alinement of each pair of gripping elements since corresponding legs cannot readily swing laterally relative to the other pair of legs.

The corresponding legs of the wire sections 3 are shaped and connected together in a manner which maintains the loops and gripping arms in spaced relation and insures movement of adjacent or corresponding legs together. For this purpose the legs 5, 50:, of each section 3 between the loops 4 and bent portions 7 are preferably offset inwardly toward the legs of the other section, as shown at 9, for engagement with and connection to similar offset portions of the latter legs. As shown, each offset 9 on one leg 5 or 5a is connected to the corresponding leg 5 or 5a of the other ection so that the pairs of legs 5, 50, move together. The offsets of adjacent legs are preferably connected by a clip 10 bent therearound, as shown. Each clip 10 is preferably provided with extensions 11, 12, these being enlarged to form press plates, which are engaged by ones fingers to facilitate operation of the gripping arms, in opposition to the resiliency of the wire sections. The plates 12 are preferably provided with wings 13, which are bent around adj acent portions or" the legs. Either or both plates may be omitted when desired.

The free ends of the gripping arms constituting each pair are provided with male and female elements 6.1, respectively (see Fig. '7), and these elements are surrounded by collars 6', which engage the opposite faces of the film. By providing for the guiding of the gripping arms or their free ends toward and from each other, wear and danger of the elements 6x, being damaged are eliminated.

The weight 2 preferably consists of a lead body (which may be cast) having an oval shape in cross-section. The body 2 is formed adjacent its ends with slots 14 extending from one end of the body 2 inwardly in the direction of its major axis, the bottoms of the slots diverging downwardly relatively to said axis to insure drainage. The slots 14 are of a size and spaced to receive the loops 4 of the device 1 and after the loops 4 are set into the slots, the end portions of the outer walls of the slots are bent laterally inwardly and thus connect the weight to the loops. As the bent over walls engage the end portions of the loops 4, the resiliency of the legs 5, 5a, is not affected. The weight 2 may 'be positioned with the slots 14 extending upwardly, as shown in Fig. l, or with the slots 14 extending downwardly, as shown in Fig. 3.

By making the weight of a rounded form, in cross-section, its exterior surfaces provide for shedding of liquid readily.

The loops 4 may be suspended from the support B or other device in any suitable manner, for example, by U-members C, which are shown removably mounted on the support, or carried by a bar D, which extends through the loops as shown in Fig. 2.

In my form of construction the loops 4 are spaced from each other and disposed in parallel relation and the pairs of gripping arms are spaced and disposed equal distances from the planes of the loops, with the result that the device may be suspended vertically from a support and the strip hung vertically from the device; also, when a weighted device is connected to the depending free end of a strip, as shown in Fig.

1, this arrangement and form or construction insure that the weight of the device and the weight carried thereby will tend to hold the free end of the strip down without distortional strains.

upon the strip. Also, it will be noted that the strip is engaged at each end, or either end, by two pairs of spaced gripping members or arms, so that danger of weakening, cutting or damaging the strip is minimized and walls, corners, 013- recesses that may tend to hold liquid or prevent free access of the drying or cooling atmosphere are materially reduced or entirely eliminated. It will also be noted that the device is made of two sections of resilient wire so arranged and,.-

constructed that the requirement for a separate spring coil, to effect operation of either or both pairs of clamping members, is avoided. Furthermore, the construction and arrangement provide for unobstructed flow of liquid and air through the wire sections. liquid can adhere to the services of the section, thus insuring economical use of the necessary chemicals and quick drying of the moisture remaining on the sections due to immersion.

It will also be noted that in my construction,

be readily re-bent, manually, to bring the portions 7, 7, and elements 6x, 6x, into operative relation, normally engaged, and ready for use.

To those skilled in the art to which my invention relates, many changes in construction.

and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. My disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

What I claim is:

1. An article of the class described comprising a pair of resilient wire sections bent intermediate their ends to form le s terminating in clamping members normally in engagement, the legs of one section being substantially parallel to the legs of the other section, and a connection between each leg of one section and the corresponding leg of the other section, whereby each two connected legs move together.

As a result, very little 115 Accordingly, 125

2. An article of the class described comprising a pair of resilient wire sections bent intermediate their ends to form legs, the legs of each section terminating in clamping members normally in engagement, the legs of one section being substantially parallel to the legs of the other section, and a connection between each leg of one section and the corresponding leg of the other section, whereby each two connected legs move together.

3. An article of the class described comprising a pair of resilient wire sections looped intermediate their ends to form legs, the legs of each section terminating in gripping members normally in engagement, the legs of each section between said loops and gripping members being off-set toward the legs of the other section, and a connection between the olT-sets of adjacent legs, whereby each two connected legs move together.

4. An article of the class described comprising a pair of resilient wire sections bent intermediate their ends to form legs, the end portions of the legs being bent laterally and extending beyond a median plane between the legs and reversely curved with their free ends normally engaged, and a connection between each leg of one section and the corresponding leg of the other section, whereby each two connected legs move together.

5. An article of the class described comprising a pair of resilient wire sections bent intermediate their ends to form legs, the end portions of the legs of each section being bent into intersecting relation and terminating in clamping members normally in engagement, and a connection between each leg of one section and the correspond ing leg of the other section, whereby each two connected legs move together.

6. An article of the class described comprising a pair of resilient wire sections bent intermediate their ends to form legs, the end portions of the legs of each section being bent into intersecting relation and terminating in clamping members normally in engagement, said intersecting portions having sliding engagement to maintain the clamping members in alinement, and a connection between each leg of one section and the corresponding leg of the other section, whereby each two connected legs move together.

'7. An article of the class described comprising a pair of resilient wire sections bent intermediate their ends to form legs, the end portions of the legs of each section being bent into intersecting relation and terminating in clamping members normally in engagement, said intersecting portions of corresponding legs of the sections being disposed inwardly of and having sliding engagement with the intersecting portions of the other legs to maintain the clamping members in alignment, and a connection between each leg of one section and the corresponding leg of the other section, whereby each two connected legs move together.

8. An article of the class described comprising a pair of resilient Wire sections looped intermediate their ends to form legs, the legs of each section terminating in gripping members normally in engagement, the legs of each section between said loops and gripping members being oilset toward the legs of the other section, a connection between the ofiE-sets of adjacent legs, whereby each two connected legs move together, and a weight connected to said loops.

9. An article of the class described comprising a pair of resilient wire sections folded intermediate their ends to form pairs of legs, the legs of each section terminating in gripping members normally in engagement, a connection between each leg of one section and the corresponding adjacent leg of the other section, whereby each two connected legs move together, and a weight engaging the folds of said sections.

10. An article of the class described comprising a pair of resilient wire sections bent intermediate their ends to form legs, the legs of each section terminating in male and female clamping members normally in engagement, and a connection between each leg of one section and the corresponding leg of the other section, whereby each two connected legs move together.

11. An article of the class described comprising a pair of resilient wire sections bent intermediate their ends to form legs, the legs of each section terminating in male and female clamping members normally in engagement, a collar surrounding each said member inwardly of its engaging surface arranged to engage the collar on the other opposed member, and a connection between each leg of one section and the corresponding leg of the other section, whereby each two connected legs move together.

ELMER H. BRUNNER. 

